Analysts say Trump spells doom for Houston-area Republicans

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - The major critical primaries on Tuesday may be in states like Florida, Ohio and Illinois, but what happens there may well impact who holds office in Harris County. Despite being called out by Politico Magazine for literally dozens of "errors, exaggerations and flat-out falsehoods," frontrunner Donald Trump is poised to deep-six the presidential runs of Marco Rubio and John Kasich by claiming their home states.

On a primary date some are calling "Super Super Tuesday," the growing chinks in Trump's credibility may not be enough to stop his momentum.

"Here is a guy who is offering you really easy generalized solutions," said Jay Aiyer, political analyst at Texas Southern University.

"These are misinformed voters and they are very resistant to any information that doesn't fit with their current view of Donald Trump which is positive because they view him as the only person whose speaking for them on the campaign trail this season," added Mark Jones, political analyst at Rice University.

If Trump continues to prevail, both political analysts see a doomsday come November for Harris County Republicans.

Aiyer predicts a sweep.

"Trump has probably turned off Republican women and he's turned off minority voters," said Aiyer. "In a county like Harris County, 20 percent of Latinos are Republican primary voters. If they don't vote straight ticket for Republican candidates, many of them can't win."

Rice University professor Jones said local Republicans would struggle even if Texas Senator Ted Cruz topped the ticket, but with Trump on the ballot, even the popular Republican sheriff and district attorney are in deep danger of losing their jobs.

"If Donald Trump is the presidential candidate we are going to see a Democratic tsunami and that blue tsunami would wipe out Devon Anderson and Ron Hickman as well as probably all the Republican judges who are up for election this cycle," said Jones.